Redefining the Smoky Eye at Chanel

The smoky eye is a look that's been around for years. Season after season it resurfaces as a trend, and inevitably critics complain that they've seen it all before. Well, leave it to Chanel to reimagine a classic. The smoky eye that accompanied the spring 2011 collection was fresh in so many ways: sultry yet pretty, full-on without being harsh. The models looked other-worldy in a way only Karl Lagerfeld could dream up — the thin black line down their parts completed the vaguely spooky effect. Lagerfeld showed Peter Philips, global creative director of Chanel makeup, a sketch he drew of a girl with smoldering dark eyes. From there, Philips found inspiration in the colors and textures of Chanel costume jewelry and the black, white and green garden built for the show in the Grand Palais. While you can attempt the look at home (dewy skin and glossy pink lips are required), the eyeshadow quad, aptly named Regard Perlé, won't be available until January.